The present invention relates to an apparatus for heating and/or cooling a cabin, and more particularly to an apparatus for heating and/or cooling a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, a sleeping cabin of a truck, or the like.
In German Patent Application P 41 25 993.9, an apparatus for air-conditioning a cabin of a motor vehicle is described in which an exhaust-gas heat exchanger is used as the heating device for generating a hot-air current required for the desorption. The energy necessary for the desorption is thus able to be supplied when the motor vehicle is running.
Cooling of a cabin using a sorption reactor of the type previously described is satisfactorily accomplished even on hot days; however, the available heating capacity from the sorption reactor can be inadequate at very low temperatures since the dissipated heat which is lost, e.g., via window surfaces, is considerable. Moreover, the heating capacity of the sorption reactor is affected by the humidity of the air supplied to the reactor. For this reason, when dry, cold air is supplied, a humidification of the air current is necessary. This in turn creates problems, such as icing-up of the air ducts. Furthermore, if the air supplied to the reactor is heavily humidified, then the capacity of the sorbent is also rapidly exhausted, making frequent desorption phases necessary. Particularly in the case where an engine has been running for short distances, there is insufficient waste heat from the engine available for the desorption of the sorbent.